An allotment holder from Wellingborough has set up a Facebook page to help gardeners find the things they need to keep their plots blooming.

Niki Goodman set up the Northants Allotment and Vegetable Grower Resources group after getting sick of hearing people talk about how useful such a group would be.

She said: “We have a few simple aims: to build a friendly community to meet new friends and share advice, to have a diary of local dates for the community so we know what’s happening when and to involve local businesses who have waste products which can be recycled to help the environment, for example pallets, plastic piping, waste scaffold planks and netting.

“We also want to work with local authorities and businesses to get discounted goods. The most popular thing so far has been horse manure – we have a list of free manure for anyone who can collect. This is like gold dust for us growers.

“There are about 150 members so far and anyone is welcome to join us. It is for anyone who likes growing things.”

Niki took on her allotment about a year ago. She said: “I couldn’t grow things at home because of the children playing in the garden. I could never survive just on what I grow in the allotment but it really does help.”

The group’s first meeting will be on Saturday, May 30, at 2pm at the Crown pub in Wellingborough where there will be an informal talk about composting.